Santana was spposed top be back last August in the Met space/time continum!
LOL

He won’t be any more out of position than Valdespin is when you come right down to it!
Collins hasn’t really thought about it at all he has games to play and consume him.
When Torres gets back the most difficult decision he has to make is where to play him either CF or LF.
But Kirk will still be in the lineup only other difference of note is he won’t leadoff!

The question about Kirk won’t come up until Bay comes back!
Thats really when Collins has to make a hard decision and truth is he isn’t going to make it most likely Sandy is going to make it for him!
Either via a trade or by sending Kirk down until a trade is made!
I am not up on the latest but I don’t think Bay is due back soon. Probably right around the ASB.

That means sending Kirk down might only last 2 weeks to a month until Torres or Bay gets traded. I suspect it will be Torres unless Bay comes back and starts hitting HRs like they are singles!

it should sort out pretty quickly, depending on what Torres shows as being left in the tank.

But I agree, sometimes collins should just deflect/defer a question.

This is why he reverses himself so often in the past.
He hasn’t decided he just gives a flippant answer based on what he would do if the decision was made today because he hasn’t really thought about it at all since it isn’t a decision yet and then when he does he goes back on what he says after thinking about it!

Collins hasn’t decided a thing yet!

They can’t just sit Bay, they need him to perform to try and trade him if they can. Which I expect to lead to a platoon at CF with Torres and Kirk unless they make the bonehead move to send Kirk down (to play LF I hope if thats what happens) or find a trade partner for either Torres or Bay.

I’m not going to sweat it until either come back and if Kirk keeps on performing I don’t see how they can justify sitting him!

I’m just a troublemaker.

And while we all know Torres is a 4th OF on most teams I can not say it was not always Sandy’s intention to have Torres be the #1 CF cause if it wasn’t his intention there would have been a move for a more proper CF made. Kirk was always considered an OF prospect but many were doubtfull of his ability as a CF.
I can see glimmers of why they felt that though in his play. He’s made some spectacular plays and botched a few routines as well. Rookies do that so it’s not a major concern to me.

And while I think it is good and necessary that OFs should be given experience at all three OF positions for the mere fact that one third of your lineup is OF and to be flexible you must be able to move them around whenever needed, the timing of those moves is most important and it should be done long before they get to the MLB and most certainly NOT a mere month after the player has been promoted to the MLB.

He has many more concerns then than having to get used to and learn a new position.

They should rotate their OFers in the minors and swap positions often (even in different innings of single games) which would do more for preparing them for any OF position that trying to just throw them something new in the MLB.

I don’t see where Torres contributes more than Kirk does truth be told and if it wasn’t for Bay being injured we might have gotten a different answer about Torres when he returns.

One could make the case that what should be done is platoon the 2 in CF with Kirk’s early struggles vs lefties but as with Ike I’d rather see him play so he can work on getting better.

By the time Bay is scheduled to get back the team should have a clearer picture as to how to move forward and if Torres isn’t doing it he will most likely find himself the 4th Outfielder.

and BS they got him to be a key starter. he was a 4th OF fill-in until someone else (as in Kirk) was ready. Well, he appears to be ready.

The guy never did anything in his career, and certainly not in his 1 game with the Mets, to be guaranteed a spot. Kirk at least has a future, and is someone to get excited about, so better not to screw around with him. Not that he can’t play LF, but why disrupt more than you have to? At 34, with bad wheels, is Torres possibly going to play a better CF than what we have seen out of Kirk?

and lead off? He might be a little quicker, but he is not big base stealing threat, and Kirk is not slow. But Ruben and Kirk have been getting OB at a higher clip than Torres ever had.

sorry for the ramble. I just don’t like messing with the good vibes the team has had overall, just because a bench guy like Torres comes back.

could be worse, they could be sending Kirk down to play Bay and Torres!

Granted I like putting Kirk in LF better than upsetting both him and Duda by putting Duda in LF and Kirk in RF.

I personally would rather see Collins ease Torres back into the lineup just to be sure that calf is fully healed and maybe platoon Kirk and Torres in CF while putting Kirk into LF on days that Torres starts.

I personally would prefer if Collins just said nothing in regards to CF as it will only serve to hurt Kirk’s spirits while he has been a major player in our winning so far!
When Torres gets back then it can be an issue to discuss when he finally starts not before then!